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J. Med. Internet Res. · May 2021
Multicenter StudyEffects of an Animated Blood Clot Technology (Visual Clot) on the Decision-Making of Users Inexperienced in Viscoelastic Testing: Multicenter Trial.
Viscoelastic test-guided coagulation management has become increasingly important in assessing hemostasis. We developed Visual Clot, an animated, 3D blood clot that illustrates raw rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM) parameters in a user-centered and situation awareness-oriented method. ⋯ This study emphasizes the practical benefit of presenting viscoelastic test results in a user-centered way. Visual Clot may allow inexperienced users to be involved in the decision-making process to treat bleeding-associated coagulopathy. The increased diagnostic confidence, diagnostic certainty, reduced workload, and positive user feedback associated with this visualization may promote the further adoption of viscoelastic methods in diverse health care settings.
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The Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (PSEQ) is an established 10-item measure of pain self-efficacy that is widely used in clinical and research settings. However, a shorter measure would reduce patient and researcher burden and save valuable time in busy clinical settings. The aim of this study was to develop and confirm the psychometric properties of a valid and reliable 2-item short form of the PSEQ (PSEQ-2). We used a large sample of 1,418 chronic pain patients, which we randomly split into 2 smaller groups. We identified the 2 short-form items in Sample 1 and confirmed their properties in Sample 2. In order to identify the 2 items for the short-form measure, we selected the first item based on the highest item-total correlation. The second item was identified after a series of additional analyses. The 2 items identified from the PSEQ reflected confidence in one's ability to work and lead a normal life despite pain. The PSEQ-2's validity and internal consistency were found to be sound. Test-retest reliability, sensitivity to change, and convergent validity were confirmed in a separate patient sample (n = 140) that had recently completed an intervention designed, in part, to modify self-efficacy beliefs. The PSEQ-2 appears to be a robust measure of pain self-efficacy. ⋯ Pain self-efficacy is a belief in one's ability to carry out activities even when in pain and is important in coping effectively with pain. A short measure of pain self-efficacy was developed and evaluated. It appears to be suitable for use in clinical and research settings.
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Acta clinica Croatica · Jun 2020
ReviewMedullary Thyroid Cancer - Feature Review and Update on Systemic Treatment.
Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is a rare malignancy that originates from parafollicular (C cells) of the thyroid and accounts for 2-4% of all thyroid malignancies. MTC may be sporadic or inherited, the latter as part of the MEN 2 syndromes. Germline mutations in the RET proto-oncogene (REarranged during Transfection) are driver mutations in hereditary MTC, whereas somatic RET mutations and, less frequently, RAS mutations, have been described in tumor tissues of sporadic MTC. ⋯ Recently, next-generation small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have been developed. These highly selective RET-inhibitors are specifically designed for highly potent and selective targeting of oncogenic RET alterations, making them promising drugs for the treatment of advanced MTC. The selective RET-inhibitor selpercatinib has been very recently registered for the treatment of RET-mutated thyroid cancer.
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The morphological consequences of delayed posttraumatic brain hyperthermia (39 degrees C) after fluid percussion brain injury were assessed in rats. Sprague-Dawley rats anesthetized with 4% halothane and maintained on a 70:30 mixture of nitrous oxide:oxygen and 0.5% halothane underwent moderate (1.5-2.0 atm) traumatic brain injury with the injury screw positioned parasagittally over the right parieto-occipital cortex. At 24 hours after traumatic brain injury, the rats were reanesthetized and randomized into two groups in which either a 3-hour period of brain normothermia (36.5 degrees C, n = 18) or hyperthermia (39 degrees C, n = 18) was maintained. ⋯ For example, numbers of swollen axons within the sixth layer of the right somatosensory cortex, corpus callosum, and internal capsule were 7.3 +/- 1.3, 4.2 +/- 1.4, and 3.0 +/- 1.2 axons (mean +/- standard error of the mean) with normothermia, respectively, compared with 24.7 +/- 12.1, 33.1 +/- 4.2, and 27.3 +/- 3.1 axons with hyperthermia, respectively (P < 0.01). An ultrastructural examination of the swollen axons demonstrated a severely thinned myelin sheath containing axoplasm devoid of cytoskeletal components. These experimental results indicate that posttraumatic brain hyperthermia might increase morbidity and mortality in patients with head injury by aggravating axonal and microvascular damage.